Inhaler



Nov. 12, 1946;

H. L. APFELBAUM INHALER Filed April 26,. 1943 INVENroR. Hur/a LAplbaz/mATTORNEY l Patented Nov. 12, 1946 UNITED STATE INHALER Huna L.Apfelbaum, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Victor Metal' ProductsCorporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationApril 2s, 1943, serial No. 484,561

(ci. 12s-200) .6 Claims. l

This invention relates to inhalers and particularly to the type which'is adapted to be molded throughout of suitable synthetic plasticmaterial.

The invention contemplates the provision of a simple inhaler providedwith a valve at each end and adapted to be easily manipulated, withoutremoving any of the parts, to open both valves simultaneously andthereby to establish communication between the interior` of the inhalerand the outside air.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a holder formedicament slidable in the interior of the inhaler and provided withopposed valves, one of which projects beyond the inhaler casing in theoperative or open position thereof, and the other of which so projectsin the inoperative or closed position thereof, the projecting valvesforming the means by which the holder may be manipulated.

The invention further contemplates the provision of an inhaler havingonly three separable and moldable parts comprising a two-part casing anda holder for medicament together with cooperating valve parts thereon,and in which inhaler the casing parts need be separated only when themedicament therein is to be renewed, the inhaler being otherwiseoperable without such separation.

The invention further contemplates the provision of an inhaler adaptedto be opened for use and closed by one hand oi the user.

The various objects of the invention will be clear from the descriptionwhich follows and from the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a verticalsection of the inhaler taken on the line I--I of Fig. 2, showing theinhaler in its closed or sealed inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a similar section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial front elevation and partial section'of the inhalerin its open or operative position, showing the medicament in place inthe holder therefor.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a foreshortened perspective view of the medicament holder, themiddle part of the holder being broken away for convenience ofillustration.

In the embodiment of the invention shownby Way of example, the inhalercasing consists of two preferably but not necessarily molded parts I0and I I, the part llLbeing in the nature of a cap and having an axialopening I2 in the end thereof, which opening is preferably used as adischarge or outlet opening for the medicated vapor accumulating in thecasing. An internally threaded enlargement I3 is provided at the lowerend of the cap for the reception of the correspondingly externallythreaded upper end I4 of the casing part II. `To prevent leakage ofvapor between the parts, a washer or gasket I5 of any suitablecompressible material such as cork, rubber, felt or the like is seatedon the interior shoulder I6 of the enlargement I3. At the lower end ofthepart Il is made an axial ,opening which is preferably the inletopening-for outside air into the casing. Said opening has an enlargedouter portion I'I and a constricted inner portion I8 for the purposessoon to appear. l y Slidably mounted in the interior of the casing isthe medicament holder I9. Said holder is also adapted to be molded ofsynthetic plastic and is in the general shape of an elongated O, beingprovided with the teat-like axially arranged opposed and projectingvalve stems 2D and 2 I. The medicament is inserted into or removed fromthe central space 22 of the holder when the cap I0 is removed, and maybe carried by any suitable known device intended for lthat purpose suchas the elongated cartridge 23 (Fig. 3) or a wad of absorbent cotton. Theupper valve stem 20 is preferably tapered and molded integrally with thetop of the holder and has an annular recess Vor indent in the lower partthereof filled by a hollow resilient washer or gasket 24 of rubber,cork, felt or the like arranged to enter thevdischarge port or openingI2 and to be pressed into contact with the wall of said opening when theholder is in its uppermost or valve port closing position to preventleakage of vapor.

The lower valve stem 2I may be detachably or permanently secured asdesired to thel lower end of the holder, but in Ithe form shown, itisscrewed thereto and terminates at itsv lower end in an enlargementsuch as the head 25 adapted to fit into the enlarged part I'I of theadjacentinlet opening. For adequately sealing the inlet openf ing whenthe inhaler is not in use, a hollow washer or gasket 2,6 in the form ofa ilanged eyelet is provided. The flange of the washer, 26 contacts withthe top of the Wall surrounding the enlarged part II of the inletopening and the cylindrical part of the washer engages the wall of theportion I8 of the opening when the holder is in its port closingposition. There, the holder is at its uppermost limiting positionin thecasing,vbut the lower party of the holdergis in Suffie cient upwardspaced relation to the bottomfoffthe casing part H to carry the inletvalve stem into its closed position, (Figs. l and 2) and the upper endof the valve stem 2B projects a substantial distance outwardly beyondthe casing for access thereto by a linger or the thumb of the user.

To move the, holder into theopenor extreme lowermost position of Fig. 3,the user may gra-sp the casing in one hand and need merelypress axiallyon the valve stem with the thumb or finger of the same hand therebysliding the holder downwardly and opening both valves simulta" neously,the valve 2 I, 25 in this position projecting downwardly below thecasing.V the userinhales the vapor from the opening l2, airv enteringthe opening Il, i8 passes through the space 2'! -around the bottom ofthe holder to the spaces 28, 29 between the edges of the holdersidesiil,3| and the casing, then through the medicament 23 Ito become chargedwith vapor and then passes outnthroughthe opening-I2. To again close theva}ve-ports,-the thumb ora nger of thehand which-holds the inhale-r maybe used Vto push the valve 12h25 axially, thereby to move the holderupwardly.

The lower-endfof the holder which connects the si'des3l), 3| andwhichcarries thevalve stem 2l, 'is suitably vshaped-to'engage theinnerjwall-of the casing part l Iv atl a 'point spaced'aibove Vthebottom of saidwall-when the holderV is in its lowermostposition,`thereby insuring that a, suilicient space `2l is'vprovided above theinlet valve for the entranceiofairlinto the casing through theopen-valve.y The' upper partofthe holder wh-ich connects the *sides V3lland v3l and which --carries the valve stemv `20 may be similarly shaped,said connectingparts ofthe holder preferably serving asA stops to--limitand Ydene the extreme positionsvv of the-holder in thegcasing.

Theouter surfaces of the holder* sidesil andY 3l are shaped preferablyto ntand ,conform to the inner wallsgof the casing morder to providesufficient 'frictional engagement therebetween to maintainthe holderk intheextreme or limiting positions into which itis caused to slide'withoutdanger of accidental movement therefrom. :However, if it is desired.toadditionaily insure against such accidental Aor undesired movement,the middle vparts of said holder Kas 32, -33'-may be made of slightlylarger diameter than theremainder thereof, and'slightly larger than thediameters of the inner casing surface so that as the holder isoriginally inserted intothe casing, the sides and-3 l thereof areAsomewhat compressed together, as is possible by-'reason of theirspacing, length andconsequent resiliency. The springaction so securedserves to cause the sidesltoresist anymovementoi the holder other thandeliberate movement thereof. y Y

It is unnecessary to remove the-holder from-the casing when themember;23 is to be removedfor replaced. `When thecasing part l0 isremoved, theupperhalf ofthe holder is exposed together with the upperhalf Vof saidimember-23, whereby themedicatedhmember when in the form ofaV cartridge may easily' be extracted from the-space 22 by tilting itout ofthe holder. The-removal of A-a-cotton -wadf offers Vnodilhculties. Thecartridgeis also dropped into place readily-by tiltninginto-the-space 22. *Should it become necessary to-remove'thef holderforany reason, thevalve 2 l 25v may 'first beunscrewedfrom the holderwhereupon theholder is easily lifted outof the lower casing partto whichiti is-nonnally `sl-idably i vattached. 'i i v'lusinai'fed embodiment ofthe invention without From the above, it will be seen that I haveprovided an inhaler having a slidable holder capable of easymanipulation with one hand without disturbing the casing, .that theinhaler is adapted to be molded of plastic material and is provided withopposed valves accessible from the outside and operating simultaneouslyand effectively to permit and prevent the discharge of vapor as desired.t

Various modifications may be made in the ildeparting from the spiritthereof as deiined by the appended claims.

-I claim:

l. In aninhaler, a casing having an inlet opening at one end thereof andan outlet opening at the other end thereof, a. hollow elongated memberfrictionally fitted into and slidable within the casing and having apair of imperfol'ate side walls arranged in transverse spaced relation,to each otherpavalvestem at -eachend of saidV member, one ofsaidfste-ms passing through the inlet opening andthe otherthrough theoutlet opening, said stems'fsea-ling the'openings in one position of themember and unsealing the openings in another position ofthe member, themember 'having an unobstructed space therein betweenthe side wallsandbetween the stems-toehold medicament inserted thereinto by a movementsubstantially parallel to said side walls. K

2. -In an inhaler, a casing liavingfanupper caplike hollow part and a'lower hollow part,the upper part' having an upper end providedwith' avalvereceiving opening therein, the. lower part having a lowerendprovided' with a. valve-receiving opening therein, saidiupperpartbeing open and internally' threaded at its lower end,- saidr lower partbeing open and externallythreadedfatfitsupper end for the detachablyscrewed and. sealed connection thereof-tosaid upper part,4 a', flattenedannularmem'ber elongated inra directionr axially yof the casing andslidably mountedwithin'the casing and engaging the inner surfaces ofthecasing parts and guided by saidsurfaces. said surfaces .being of uniformdiameter, said membefb'eing of lesser width asmeasured in aselecteddirection than the diameter of said inner surfaces. to arrangepart ofsaid member in inward spaced relation `to said inner surfaces, andavalvejstem projecting outwardly from each end ofthe member, the stem atone endbeing arranged coaXially of the 'opening in said upper part andhaving an enlargement thereon to seal and unseal the last F mentionedopening, the stem at the other end also having an enlargement, atleast.one of the stems projecting through its cooperating valve-receivingopening beyond the casing in all positions of the member in theassembled casing, said'stems, valve-receiving openings and enlargementsbeing of lesser' diameters than the diameter ofsaid inner surfaces. l

3. In an inhaler, a combined medicament :holder and valve .meanscomprising ya pair of .similar transversely spaced apart and elongatedsides providing an unobstructed space therebetween for the 'insertionofmedicament thereinto by a movement in ai transverse direction, aconnecting portion joining each pair of the adjacent ends of said sides,and a Valve stem projecting axially-'from eachconnecting portion, oneof` thestems-'being enlarged diametrica-lly adjacentf the connectingportion from which itvproj ects 'and' the'Y other stem being enlarged"diametricallyat the 'end thereof remote fromithe connectingportion'fromswhiclr it 5 projects, the inner ends of said stemsterminating at the holder. o

4. In an inhaler, a. casing having an air inlet opening and a vaporoutlet opening, and a generally O-shaped combined medicament holder andvalve means for said openings slidably mounted within the casing andcomprising a pair of transversely spaced sides each frictionallyengaging the inner surface of the casing, a connecting portionintegrally joining each pair of the adjacent ends of said sides, and apair of valve stems each entering one of the respective openings andeach projecting from one of the respective connecting portions.

5. In an inhaler, a. casing having an air inlet opening and a Vaporoutlet opening, and a. generally O-shaped combined medicament holder andvalve means for said openings slidably mounted Within the casing, saidcombined holder and valve means including a pair of valve stems eachentering one of the respective openings and projecting from oppositeends of the holder, one o-f the stems being diametrically enlarged atthe outer end thereof and the other stem being diametrically enlarged atthe inner end thereof.

6. In an inhaler, a slidable combined medicament holder and valve meansof generally O- shaped form including a, pair of axially opposed valvestems projecting outwardly from the ends of the holder, one of saidstems having an enlargement at the inner end thereof, and the other ofsaid stems having an enlargement at the outer end thereof.

HUNA L. APFELBAUM.

